Tending Your Wounds
by laureninthesky96
Summary: Harvey meets the new farmer in town and is drawn to her rough-around-the-edges appeal, and the stability of farm life. But the calm, quiet life he imagines doesn't quite line up with her propensity for reckless adventure in the mines. Can the anxious doctor overcome his misgivings and let himself fall for her?
1. I'd Like to Know You

Looking over his accounts one last time just to be sure it really was as bad as he thought, Harvey sighed. Looks like he'd have to settle for another month of microwave dinners, and put off signing up for fitness classes yet again. When he had first moved to Stardew Valley, owning his own practice right out of medical school had been a point of pride. Now, just a few short years later, he understood the hard truths of why the previous doctor had left for the city. There were hardly enough people in this little town to pay the bills, even for a bachelor like him. The way of life in town was healthy and safe, and it was rare to see his patients for much more than their yearly check up. He loved the town for its nature and slow country life, but some of his patients were more trouble than they were worth. His assistant, Maru, though a close friend after they had worked together for so long, often made costly mistakes.

At the sound of the door opening, he straightened. A patient? No one was on the schedule for today. Far too many days went by with the door only opening when Maru left to grab their lunch at the Stardrop. Maru poked her head through the clinic door.

"Hey Dr. Harvey, have you met the new farmer yet? She stopped by to say hello!" At that, Maru opened the door a little wider, and a tall, short haired woman stepped in. She was on the skinny side, and her paleness was accentuated by her dark, forest green hair.

"I just took over my grandfather's farm to the west of the town. I'm Arianne. It's nice to meet you." She stuck out a hand and he marveled at how soft her hands were as he shook it. Was this woman really suited to farm life? He wondered how long she'd stay here. Perhaps she'd make a go of it, and then give up and sell the land to Joja. He grimaced at the thought, but quickly recovered his composure. After his introduction, she pulled out a bottle of wine and offered it to him, much to his surprise. "It's a gift! Just a little hello from me."

He marveled at her good taste, and his opinion of her improved. Adding another potential patient to the town would do him some good, anyhow. There were all kinds of ways to hurt yourself on a farm. After she left, he chatted with Maru about all the details of this newcomer's life: she was the granddaughter of the late farmer and had just moved from the city. As Maru detailed the latest advances in agricultural technology, he wondered if he would get to know this tall stranger better.

For the next few months, he only saw her in passing here and there in town. Occasionally she would give him little gifts, and he watched as her skin turned brown from the long days in the sun, and her arms became ropy and thick with hard work. He began to develop a certain fondness for her. Her short hair and slightly masculine demeanor were appealing, in their little way. Her transformation from farm work hadn't taken long, and she radiated with a sense of vitality that appealed to his physician's sensibility. He began to think of her when his mind emptied of other things, and feel a twinge of longing on days when they did not cross paths.

One evening, as he was putting away his radio equipment for the night, he thought he heard the sound of the clinic phone ringing through his apartment door. He froze, running over all of the possibilities in his mind. That phone hardly ever rang after regular business hours, and only for the worst kinds of emergencies. The last time someone had called the clinic phone at this hour, Shane had eaten a bottle of sleeping pills and had to have his stomach pumped. Before that, it had been Arianne's grandfather, found passed away in his bed by Marlon.

He pushed the fear out of his mind and rushed to answer the phone. The voice on the other end sounded panicky and hoarse, but he could still place it. Sandy, from all the way out at the Calico Desert.

"Harvey! Oh, thank god. Please, come quick. It's Arianne. She's lost a lot of blood, and I'm really scared. I don't know what to do, I sent Pam back to get you. Make sure to hurry!" His heart felt like it would pound out of his chest as he frantically gathered supplies. What was Arianne doing in the desert? Could her wounds be life threatening? He ran to the bus stop and climbed in.

He carried the bandaged but still bleeding Arianne into the clinic and placed her gently into a bed. "Both of you owe me a beer after all that mess," Pam hollered from the doorway. He didn't feel like that merited a response, especially with Arianne still unconscious. Unwrapping the hasty bandages that Sandy had used to try to stop the bleeding as she waited for help to arrive, he began to take stock of her condition. Her tanned face looked sickly and gray, and she was covered in lacerations from scratches to deep gashes that were still bleeding profusely. Her face and arms had gotten the worst of it, and he silently celebrated the fact that she wasn't conscious as he disinfected each of the wounds. At least she could escape that pain.

Once that was done, he carefully stitched up the worst of the cuts and bandaged everything. She would have massive scars from this little escapade, but he had noticed as he worked that her body was already covered in them. Perhaps this was not her first mishap in the mines, just the worst so far. He sat up at her bedside most of the night, monitoring her vitals.

The next morning when she woke, he had to stop himself from being too emotional in his lecture to her about being more careful. He felt bad for having to bill her, but she didn't seem at all unwilling to pay up. From what he had heard around town, business on the farm was booming. He wondered distantly what it would be like to not have to worry about money, or to live on a farm out among the trees.

After saving her, he started seeing her a lot more often than before. She brought him coffee on his clinic day mornings and wine from her own vineyards occasionally. She began to appear in his dreams, and what was worse, in his head on nights when he couldn't sleep. She couldn't have been much older than twenty-four, and here he was at a solid thirty, pining away for her like a high school boy. He felt intense guilt at his attraction to a woman so much younger.

Gossip had followed his decision to hire Maru to work in his clinic, but he had done it more as a favor to Demetrius than out of any desire or need for an assistant. Still, the jabs from Gus about being a cradle robber and a dirty old man had stung to the quick, and he was not interested in living up to that stereotype any further with this farmer girl.

Still, late at night, lying in bed waiting for sleep, she plagued him. He tried to fight it, but the memories of her soft, smooth skin underneath the clothes he'd had to cut away to dress her wounds would not leave him alone. Even in the day time, when she dropped by to bring him his morning coffee, her strong, lean body drew his eye. He felt like a teenager again, constantly embarrassed by his affections, and his body's reaction to them.

As winter descended over the valley, Arianne showed up in his office banged up and bloodied more and more often, and their friendship deepened. As morbid as it was to think about, her constant injuries were helping his practice flourish. When she began coming in for even the most minor of scrapes, he started to wonder if she returned his feelings. He was far too shy to ask, and considered it a pipe dream. He had seen how Elliot looked at her, and how she spent so much time with Sebastian, and her drunken antics with Leah at the Stardrop at night. She was just a naturally flirty person, there was no way that her attentions to him were anything special. Even Maru was completely smitten with her, and hung onto her every word as she described her latest battle in the mines, or her struggle of deciding what to name her newest duckling.

Over time, her flirty nature drew him far enough out of his shell to get comfortable around her and really let his guard down. They were a good way into a bottle of starfruit wine that she had brought him when she asked him, laughing, how thorough of an exam he would be willing to give her. "Come and see me any time for a confidential exam, Arianne," he responded, his cheeks rosy with wine and sheepishness.

Looking right into his eyes, she responded "I'll take you up on that, Harvey." in a way that made him feel a little bit afraid.

Early the next morning, before the clinic's usual hours, he heard a banging at the door. He opened it to find Arianne staring at him, arm across the doorway resting on the frame. "I'm here for my confidential exam, doctor." she said, not taking her eyes off his face. She looked fresh, as if she had finished the morning's chores and taken a shower already. He stumbled over his words, trying to find the right ones to tell her to give him a minute. Her messy green hair fell over her forehead and into her eyes, and she tossed her head back. "Take your time. I'll wait in the exam room."

He rushed back into his apartment and furiously brushed his teeth, finger combed his hair, and straightened his moustache. Grabbing his white coat and stethoscope, he headed back out into the clinic. He took a deep breath at the clinic door, and then entered to find Lola sitting innocently on the exam table. Her long legs nearly reached the floor.

"Alright, let's start by listening to your heartbeat. Um, this works best with the stethoscope directly against your skin." he blurted. She smiled sweetly and leaned toward him.

"Feel free, Harvey. And get as close as you need. I don't want to hinder your work." She pulled him close to her, and he found that her legs had spread out for him to stand between. He slipped his hand under her shirt and pressed the metal stethoscope against her skin. She sucked in air between her teeth. "It's so cold!" She leaned forward even further and his hand was no longer pressed to her flat sternum, but to a softer part of her body.

His fingers had lost the stethoscope entirely, and she stared up into his eyes. "Kiss me." She whispered, and he leaned in and held her in his arms. He breathed in her earthy, fruity scent and felt a little surprised at her tongue finding its way into his mouth. His fingers found her nipple and stroked it gently, and her body responded to his touch. He could feel his cock straining against his trousers as she wrapped her legs around him and pulled him up on to the table and on top of her.

Their attention snapped to the exam room door as they heard the slam of the clinic door over the din of the blood rushing in their bodies. From the other room, Maru called "Good morning Harvey! Oh, are you with a patient already? I didn't see anyone on your schedule or I would have come in early."

"Yes, Arianne came in for an exam last minute, sorry for not telling you!" He called back. They both struggled to master their breath.

"Okay, do you need me for anything? I can come in and help!"

"No, that's fine. There's no need. We're just finishing up here."

Arianne looked at him and smirked at his bulging erection.

"I need a few minutes to calm down before we walk out." Harvey mumbled, looking at the floor. He tried to think of diseases.

"Take your time, no need to rush," she said, laughter in her eyes. She jumped down from the exam table and leaned against the wall by the door. "You should come by the farmhouse tonight, and we can finish what we started here." She crossed the room and kissed him gently on the lips before returning to her post by the door.

"You know, that really isn't helping me calm down," he whined. She smirked at him across the room and waited patiently. He thought of every infectious disease he could bring to mind, but it was still a struggle to calm himself with her standing there looking unsatisfied.

When finally he signaled to her that it was okay to open the door, she mouthed "See you at eight." and strode out.

"Hey, Arianne! I didn't know you had an appointment today! You should have told me, I would definitely have come in early to see you." Maru called, smiling wide.

"Ah, sorry, Maru. It was a little bit last minute. But we managed just fine by ourselves, didn't we, Harvey?" she asked solicitously. He tried his best not to make eye contact. He knew that he would not be able to hold it together, so he just nodded. "Anyway, I'll see you lovelies later," she called over her shoulder, one foot out the door.


	2. Waiting for You

Harvey watched as the clinic door swung shut behind her. He was dumbstruck. He never imagined that their flirting would progress to anything physical, but the memory of her legs wrapped around his waist lingered, and the promise of more to come sent jolts of electricity through his brain. How would he ever be able to make it until eight?

Suddenly he noticed Maru looking at him, a smug smile on her face. He was still staring at the door where Arianne had been moments ago.

"You've got it bad for her, don't you?" she teased, smirking. Harvey laughed nervously, but his smile faded at her next words. "You and half the town."

It was true, he knew it. Arianne flirted relentlessly with everyone she met, she couldn't help it. However, he allowed himself to indulge in the belief that he was the only one she was having secret make-out sessions with. The only one that she was inviting back to her place for "more". Still, the reminder of competition set his anxiety in motion. He needed to impress her tonight.

He turned his attention back to Maru. "Well, half the town doesn't have a date with her tonight." He grinned at her look of shock. "Am I catching a hint of jealousy, Maru?" he prodded. He knew he was going too far with this question, but he just couldn't help himself. Saying it out loud and having another person in on the secret made it feel so much more real, and he was giddy with excitement.

Maru's mouth hung open. Her crush on Arianne was just that, a schoolgirl crush. She hadn't made much of a secret of it, but she also hadn't pursued it at all. She certainly hadn't expected to have competition from her nerdy boss, of all people.

"You're darn right, I'm jealous. I can't believe it! I thought she was dating Elliott this whole time." Again, a puncture in Harvey's pride. Maru had seen them heading into the Stardrop together most nights and just made the assumption that there was something going on there.

"I'm pretty sure they're just friends."

"If you say so."

Harvey turned around and walked out of the clinic lobby before she could say anything else. He didn't need the negativity. He knew that Arianne was a flirt, and that she spent a lot of time with Elliott. But Elliott also spent a lot of time with Leah. It might mean nothing at all. He hid out in the exam room, busying himself with tidying up. He ran over and over the morning's events in his mind and quickly got over the funk brought about by Maru's comments.

Arianne wanted him. She didn't make a secret of the fact. She came into his office and asked him to kiss her, then invited him over to her place. No mixed signals, no games. Just how Harvey liked it. Of course, if he let himself dwell on it, he would absolutely overthink the situation. He threw himself into his work, trying to push the morning's events out of his mind.

The day dragged on. By lunch, Harvey was feeling irritated and absentminded. He went over and over every little interaction he'd ever had with Arianne in his mind, criticizing himself. Had he shared too many of his own issues with her? Why had he ever mentioned his problems to her in the first place? He should have played it cool. He always overshared when he started to feel comfortable around someone new, it was such a bad habit. Oh god, what if she was doing this because she pitied him and his small town woes? She was from the big city, she was probably used to cool city guys, not small town dorks with money problems. She certainly didn't have money problems of her own with the way she casually dropped 1000g every time she got hurt in the mines. She acted like it was nothing to spend that kind of money.

It absolutely wasn't nothing to him, and thanks to his big mouth she knew it. What could have possibly interested her in a struggling small town doctor like him?

Still, he knew he hadn't imagined the solicitous look on her face when he first came to the door, or the passion in her kiss. He went upstairs to his apartment above the clinic to get something to eat. He threw a quick meal into the microwave and leaned against the wall, deep in thought.

It had been a long time since he'd been with a woman. Ever since he'd moved to the Valley, actually. He'd had a serious girlfriend in college, and then a few short-lived flings in medical school, but the Valley was so small that there just wasn't anyone around that struck his fancy. Most were either already married or far too young for him. Leah was the closest to his age, but he hardly ever crossed paths with her. She wasn't really his type, and seemed completely unapproachable anyway. Until now, he had been too focused on his work to really worry about finding a partner anyway.

The prospect of ending his dry spell was thrilling. He had come close to it this morning, and it probably would have happened if Maru had been late for work. Thinking about Arianne's legs wrapped around his waist sent shivers down his spine. She had been plaguing his thoughts for months now, and this morning had walked straight out of his dreams and into his office.

He couldn't keep going on like this. It would be impossible for him to calm down and be productive for the rest of the day, unless...

He kicked off his shoes and unbuckled his belt, heading for the bed and leaving his food in the microwave, forgotten. He needed to do this. If he showed up at Arianne's place still keyed up from their morning make-out session, he might come off as overeager, or, god forbid, he might embarrass himself completely and come too soon. This was a necessary step toward making a good impression tonight.

He sat up on the bed, his back against the wall and his pants discarded on the floor. He remembered the feel of Arianne's breasts in his hands, soft and yielding. His cock hardened in his hand. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, letting out a shaky sigh. He remembered the feel of his lips on hers and the taste of her tongue as he slowly stroked his cock, rolling his thumb over the edge of the head.

He thought back to straddling her on the exam table, their bodies pressed together. Her strong arms holding him tight. He imagined her nude body splayed before him, and sliding his cock into her for the first time. The idea that he would likely be actually fucking her later that day amplified his excitement. His pace quickened and his breath came in gasps. The head of his cock was slick with his passion.

He imagined the thing that he always imagined when he thought of her in these moments, something that he felt guilty about but was drawn to in a way that he was unable to resist. He imagined coming inside of her, filling her with his seed, no barriers or pulling out. The thought pushed him right up to the edge and tipped him over. He stifled his moans as he came, riding out the waves of pleasure that coursed through his body.

For a while after he sat perfectly still, staring at the wall and not really thinking about anything. He noticed his clock radio out of the corner of his eye and swore, jumping up to clean himself up and pull his pants back on. He grabbed his food out of the microwave and brought it down to the clinic to wolf down before any patients showed up.


	3. The Doctor Is In

The rest of the day went by slowly, but was markedly less miserable than the morning. Harvey was nervous, but he stood up straighter and had a definite spring in his step. He even took it in stride when it was discovered that Maru had double-booked him for one of his afternoon appointment slots. He was practically floating by the time the work day ended and he ascended the stairs to his apartment. He showered first, making sure his hair would have enough time to dry, and then settled in to the task of deciding what to wear.

He laid out his clothes, then scoured his wine collection looking for something to suit the occasion. It had to be perfect. Arianne was a wine connoisseur and a vintner herself. They had shared a bottle of her aged starfruit wine, and it was absolutely divine. He would have to be subtle. It would take work to impress her without going overboard. This was only a first date, after all. If he brought something too expensive and over the top, he might appear too keen and end up chasing her off. He needed to temper his impulses. He finally selected a specific vintage from an independent vineyard he had visited on his vacation two years ago and tucked it away in his messenger bag. She would appreciate that.

He checked the clock. It wouldn't take him long to get to the farmhouse, but he was ready to be on his way. He tapped his foot on the linoleum floor. It wasn't time to go yet. He stared at the wall, drifting into thought. All of the stressful little conversations and anxieties that came with having sex with someone new for the first time haunted him.

He felt self conscious about his body. He had gained a little weight since moving to the Valley and taking on the stress of running a business. His new love handles and little pot belly felt strange on his once-slight body. In college he had been fit and active, and in medical school he had been so busy that he often didn't have time to eat. He certainly didn't miss his gaunt looks from that time in his life, but he wasn't happy with where he was at now. He was nervous to show himself to her, knowing that she was nearly all muscle. Not to mention the fact that he had always been sensitive about his body hair. It was dark and thick and covered his chest, then ran in a line down his belly. Would she be expecting it?

And what would she think of his dick? He was bigger than average, so he had no worries there, but he was uncircumcised. Hopefully she'd seen an uncircumcised penis before and didn't freak out about it the way that a high-strung ex of his had when she first saw it. He shuddered at the memory. Arianne was so different from her, surely he could avoid repeating that particular mortification.

Would she want to see his STD test results? He had printed them off and put them in his bag just in case she asked. He knew that it would be odd to just pull the pages out and present them to her, but he preferred to come prepared. Besides, he was a trained medical professional. It would be odd if he didn't consider the possibility that she would ask.

He didn't need to ask for hers. He had some thirty patients in town, and he knew all of their medical histories by heart. Her latest routine STD screen had come back clean, much to his relief at the time. He carried a lot of guilt over even having opinions about her test results, and when he had received the results from the lab he had even considered just passing them along to her without looking. Back then he had been so sure that the information would never be relevant to his own life outside of the context of his job.

The ethics of having sex with one of his patients troubled him, but he tried to push the thoughts out of his mind. He was the only doctor in the whole town, was he supposed to just stay celibate forever? That would be unreasonable. Still, it was hard not to feel like a creep with all this insider information about her personal health, not to mention the fact that he was using it for decidedly impure reasons.

He also knew from Arianne's medical records that she used an IUD for birth control. He felt an odd pride in her knowing that she chose such a reliable method. It made him trust her judgment more. It also excited him to know that he could potentially fuck her bareback tonight without getting her pregnant. He knew, logically, that he should use a condom anyway, but he hoped against hope that she wouldn't ask him to. He would even go so far as to offer his test results if she asked him to use one. Of course he would never demand raw sex, but he had to make his case. He put a few condoms into his bag just to be on the safe side.

He stood to head for the door, but at the last second grabbed his toothbrush and stuffed it in a side pocket of his bag. He glanced around the room, giving it a once-over, and left for the farm.

The warm late summer air felt lovely on his skin. The sun was slipping below the horizon, but it was still bright outside and the world had taken on a pink-orange tone. He nodded to Kent as he passed by his backyard and Kent smiled back conspiratorially. Harvey tried to suppress his blush as he walked on. He had gotten to know Kent a little since he returned to the Valley, and it still amazed him how perceptive the man was. Of course, there was only one place he could reasonably be going to walking this direction, and only so many reasons he could be going there at this time of night with the neck of a wine bottle poking out of his bag, but Kent managed to pick up on it instantly and convey his understanding without a word.

Kent would keep what he had seen to himself. Harvey expected some gentle ribbing from him the next time they got together at the saloon, but he knew Kent would be discreet about it. Kent's wife Jodi, on the other hand, would manage to alert the whole town within a matter of hours. He breathed a sigh of relief that she wasn't outside with her husband. It wasn't that he wanted to keep the affair a secret, he just wanted privacy and space for their relationship to grow.

Because when he was being honest with himself, that's what he really wanted. A relationship. Caring for Arianne in her most vulnerable moments had instilled in him a tenderness toward her that he couldn't escape or deny. Degree by degree, he found himself worrying for her more every time she came in beat up and bloodied. He had no experience with the mines in the Valley or the Calico Desert, but his imagination ran wild with speculation after seeing the odd wounds Arianne returned with. She showed up with burns, slashes, bite marks with outlandish dental patterns, and bruises covering her body from head to toe. Each time he stitched her up or slathered balm on a burn or disinfected a bite wound, he gave her a stern lecture on safety and avoiding danger. Over time, his lectures turned to requests, and then to poorly disguised begging. She laughed him off every time regardless of the approach he took or the obvious emotion in his eyes. "I'll just have you fix me up again next time," she would say, smiling through her pain.

His heart clenched at the memory. The evening light was making him melancholy. He strolled down the path by the bus stop, picking sweet pea flowers from the roadside. They were in peak bloom and their scent could be detected from several feet away. He would give them to Arianne when he arrived. The cool evening breeze tousled his curly hair and he tried to stave off the nerves. He controlled his pace and took deep, slow breaths. When he finally reached her door, he felt like he might collapse from anxiety. He knocked gently and checked his watch. Seven forty-eight. Oh god. Embarrassingly early.

Arianne opened the door and her dog immediately darted out, disappearing into rows of corn in a flash of fur. Arianne laughed and invited him in. She was wearing a pair of surprisingly short shorts, and he couldn't help but stare at her legs. They were pale, but perfectly sculpted. She looked nothing like the scrawny thing she had been when they first met. Her shoulders were broad and sinewy, and her whole upper body was deeply tanned.

"Don't worry about him. He'll be fine out there, he loves it. I'm so glad you're finally here! I made us a little dinner," she said as she ushered him in. She put the flowers in a vase, and when he offered his wine she accepted, delighted. They sat down to dinner and talked pleasantly, his anxiety dispelled in her presence. She knew just how to draw him out and make him comfortable.

"So Arianne, how did you end up in the Valley? I know you inherited the farm when your grandfather passed, but most people would have just sold the land and moved on." He was genuinely curious, and had been since he first met her, pale and gangly. She had turned the farm from a weed-ridden space that was slowly being reclaimed by the forest to a lush, tilled utopia that turned a healthy profit in a little over a year. Surely that was no accident.

"Well, I was working as a corporate drone for Joja at the time and really just hated my life. I figured this was my way out. It was a lot of work, but it's so much better than sitting at a desk every damn day. It was absolutely the right decision."

"Really? No prior experience farming? I can't believe that you just came in and suddenly became an expert at this." Arianne laughed, shaking her head.

"Not even close. There was a steep learning curve. It was really tough at first, and very touch and go. I've also had a lot of help and done a lot of research. It's in my favor that the Valley is so isolated. Fresh produce is at a premium because of that."

They ate and talked, taking turns pouring each other glasses of wine. Over the course of the night Harvey loosened his silk tie, then untied it altogether and draped it around his collar, then unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, exposing his dark chest hair. They stayed at the table long after the food was finished and well into their second bottle of wine. Both were pleasantly tipsy, but not drunk. Harvey was careful of his consumption. He wanted to be fully present for the night's events. He paid attention to hers as well, but the alcohol didn't seem to be affecting her as much as he expected it to. Her tall frame and muscular build must have given her a high tolerance.

He made a joke, riffing off of something she'd said, and she thought it was absolutely hilarious. She laughed loudly, throwing her head back. Harvey watched, noticing the curve of her lips. He could see the roof of her mouth. He hoped he'd see this face again later, her head thrown back and moaning in ecstasy instead of just laughing. God, she'd look so good sprawled out underneath him on the bed.

He shook his head to clear his mind. He could feel his face flush, and gave a self conscious smile. Arianne smiled back, with a sly look in her eye that suggested she could read his thoughts. Was he really that obvious? She stood and cleared away the dishes. Harvey pushed back from the table, but stayed seated. Arianne crossed the room toward him and sat down on his lap, facing him and straddling his thighs. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer and kissing her deeply. Her face was tilted down toward his, blocking the light from the ceiling fan. She had propped herself up by holding onto the back of the chair, and her arms were on either side of his head.

He moved himself away from the chair back. "Wrap your legs around me." he said, holding her by her thighs. He stood up and carried her to the middle of the living room, then looked around sheepishly. "Um, is it upstairs, or-"

"Just through that door over there," she said, laughing at him and pointing over her shoulder. He was sure his face was red. She had one arm wrapped around his neck to steady herself, but she was running her fingers through his chest hair with the other. He made for the bedroom.

She opened the door for him and he set her down gently on the bed. The room was mostly dark but for the light from her bedside lamp. It gave the room a romantic feel. She stood up and cupped his face in her hands, pulling him into a deep kiss. As she kissed him, she worked her way down the front of his shirt, unbuttoning every button and then undoing his belt. She slid it out from his belt loops and dropped it on the floor. Harvey shrugged off his jacket and let his tie fall.

"God, you look so sexy standing there with your shirt open," said Arianne, sitting on the bed watching him. In all honesty, he'd been feeling a little self conscious about his belly, but she didn't seem to be bothered by it. He was hesitant to take off his pants while she was still fully clothed, and instead reached for her shirt and pulled it up and over her head. She tossed her bra away and he stood still for a moment, appreciating the sight of her breasts, soft and perfect. She slid out of her shorts and then stood to kiss him again and quickly unbuttoned his pants. He stepped out of them, and she pulled his shirt off from his shoulders. They stood naked together, his hard cock pressing against her hips as they kissed. He was nervous that she would say something about his dick, but she was completely unfazed and he quickly forgot about his uncertainty.

He reached down and pressed his hand against her pussy. She gasped, then pushed back with her hips. He increased the pressure, rubbing hard against her mons. He split his fingers so that they were on either side of her clit and rubbed slow and hard. She moaned and bit his lip, pulling him down onto the bed with her. They lay side by side, Arianne on her back and Harvey on his side leaning over her, rubbing her pussy. He sat back and took off his glasses, setting them on her nightstand, then sat up in front of her between her legs. He leaned down so that his face was almost touching her pussy, and stared up into her eyes.

"May I?" he asked. He could feel the warmth radiating from her pussy, could smell its dizzying aroma. He wanted so badly to taste her.

"Please," she responded, stretching out into perfect repose. He pressed his face against her inner thigh, breathing in her scent, then gently spread her lips. Seeing her like this was driving him crazy. He was lying on his stomach, his cock pressed against the bed. He licked from the bottom of her pussy up to her clit, and she moaned loudly. He was careful not to put direct pressure on it at first. He preferred to ease into it. He worked away, licking and teasing her while she writhed and pouted, running her fingers through his curly hair.

"You look so good right there, between my thighs," she said, watching him. "I could look at this forever."

Harvey looked up, stopping for just a moment. "Take a picture," he said. "I want to see." Arianne laughed, but grabbed her phone off the nightstand and snapped a shot of him going down on her and texted it to his phone. He heard it vibrate across the room, still in his pants pocket on the floor.

He focused himself on the task of pleasuring her. He gave her one more long, slow lick from bottom to top, then put his lips around her clit and sucked on it gently. She went wild, bucking and moaning. She sat up on her elbows, then reached for him and pulled him up on top of her, their faces nearly touching.

"I want your cock, Harvey," she said, then kissed his wet, swollen lips. He was nodding furiously. He noticed that she had said nothing about condoms. Had she forgotten to ask? He didn't want to do anything to deceive or mislead her, so he worked up the courage to ask.

"Um, do you want me to use a condom?" He sent up a silent prayer that she would say no. Arianne laughed.

"I know you know I have an IUD, Harvey. If you want to use one we can, but I would really prefer not to." Harvey let out a long sigh of relief, and Arianne smiled at him, looking devious. She sat up and whispered into his ear, "I want to feel your bare cock inside me."

A wave of arousal washed over him and he grabbed her by the hips, aligning her body with his. She reached down and guided him into her, pushing her hips against his until he was completely inside. He moaned, burying his face in her neck. It had been so long. He had almost forgotten the warm, wet, silky feel of a pussy on his cock. He thrust into her, reveling in the feeling, then began to build a steady rhythm. He paid close attention to her reactions and body language, tailoring his moves to what she seemed to like.

"I've been waiting for this for so long," she whispered, her breath tickling his ear. Her tongue darted out and licked the curve of his earlobe, sending a jolt of electricity through his body. "I bet you've been thinking about it too."

"Mmmmph," he moaned, nodding as he thrusted into her.

"Deeper," she demanded, and he happily complied, pushing hard into her, making her cry out. She was yelling now, no longer whispering. He could feel the pressure building in him, too. His thoughts were scrambled, but he knew he couldn't hold out much longer. He reached down between their bodies and found her clit, rubbing it with the pad of his thumb. She moaned even louder, her head thrown back and her body pulsing in time with his.

"I'm so close," she said, eyes closed. "Fuck me harder." He increased his tempo, trying his best to hold on as long as possible. "Please come inside me," she said, and then he was breaking. She cried out, her pussy contracting around him, and he exploded, filling her with load after load his hot, sticky seed.

They lay still for a few minutes, luxuriating in their post-orgasm bliss. Slowly Harvey began to sit up, then cringed as he pulled out of her. Arianne stood and darted off to the bathroom, returning with a towel. They cleaned up together, awkwardly looking away from each other. Harvey pulled on his boxers and had picked up his pants when Arianne cut in.

"Um, you should probably stay here for the night. It gets a little dangerous on the farm after dusk." Confused, he turned and looked out the window behind him to see large shapes moving around in the dark. He yelped and jumped back toward the bed. "Don't worry, they won't come inside," she said, pulling on her underwear. "If you really want to go, I can escort you out." She hefted a large, purple sword that had been sitting in the corner of the room. "But I would like for you to stay."

"I want to stay, too." He fished his phone out of his pants pocket and crawled back into bed with her.


	4. Keep Me Safe

The two lovers lay facing each other in bed, still reeling. Arianne turned off the lamp, plunging them into darkness.

"That was amazing," said Harvey, propping himself up on his elbow. "God, I haven't been fucked like that in forever."

Arianne nodded. "Neither have I. It's been almost a year. I was feeling a little self-conscious, could you tell I was out of practice?" Her cheeks were flushed.

Less than a year? It must have been someone from the Valley, unless she met up with someone she knew from the city after she moved here. If it was someone from the Valley, it would have to have been a short-lived fling. The curiosity was tearing him up.

"Ha! Not at all, of course not. I could ask you the same question. It's not like I get around in this little town." It was easier to admit now that she had already brought it up, but he didn't dare tell how long it had been.

"Well you have nothing to worry about either, you were fantastic. How come you kept that big dick a secret from me all this time?" she asked, moving closer to him on the bed and sliding her arms around his chest. He could feel his face reddening as he broke out into a wide grin. He wasn't sure how to respond to that, so he stayed quiet while she snickered at him.

"But really though, did you actually think I'd want to use a condom?" she asked. "Why do you think I got this IUD?"

He put his hands up, feigning defensiveness. "I was just being polite! I spent all day hoping you wouldn't ask, but then when you didn't I got worried that maybe you just forgot, so I-"

"Such a gentleman. I can't believe you were thinking about coming inside me while you were hanging out at the clinic with innocent, naive Maru. What would she say if she knew what a slut you are?" He grinned, enjoying her mockery. "At least I've got a little privacy for my fantasizing out here in the sticks."

"Oh, so you were fantasizing about me too?" he asked, slipping an arm around her. He placed his palm flat on her back and pulled her closer so that their chests were almost touching.

"Of course, how could I not after this morning?" she asked. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I thought you were about to fuck me on the exam table. Surely that would be a violation of some ethics code."

"I can't believe I got cockblocked by Maru. I strongly considered sending her home for the day."

"Well, it all worked out in the end." She kissed him, then pulled back, giggling.

"What's the matter?" he asked, concerned.

"Your mustache-it tickles! I'm not used to it yet."

"Well, you'll have to get used to it," he said. He nuzzled her with his face and tickled her sides until she shrieked.

An answering shriek sounded from the dark outside, and they both jumped, craning to see out the window. Harvey's heart was pounding. Arianne sighed, then stood and began to dress.

"You're not going out there, are you?" he asked, incredulous. She stood facing the window with her back to him.

"I'll be right back. I'm just going to go get Grover and bring him in. He's a tough pup, but I don't want him out there alone all night." Harvey got up, gathering his clothes and his courage.

"I'm coming with you."

Arianne snorted. "No, you're not. You're gonna stay put. This is only going to take me a minute or two, and it's too dangerous." Every instinct told him to nod and sit back down, stay safe in the bed while she ventured out into the night. She was strong, right? In the moonlight he could see the outlines of her muscles under her skin. She lived on this farm, she did this all the time, right?

Another shriek rang out through the still night, and he shook his head. He stepped into his boxer shorts and reached out toward her. She turned to him and he put his hands on her shoulders.

"If it's really so dangerous out there, I can't allow you to go alone. Safety in numbers, right?"

Arianne rolled her eyes, but she smiled and nodded at him.

"Alright, come on. If you really want to go, then let's get you armed."

He hurriedly dressed and followed her out of the room as she grabbed her purple sword and made for a chest in the living room. She was rummaging through it when he caught up to her.

He looked inside and saw an assortment of swords, knives, and hammers. His mouth went dry.

"Um. Arianne, I promise this is not me backing out. Can you tell me what exactly is out there?"

"Well, we've got bats, flying serpents, shadow brutes, golems, and slimes." He only knew what a few of these were, but the others sounded horrifying. She was so cavalier about it. "Oh! That reminds me. I should give you this." She opened a nearby drawer and rummaged around for a moment, then handed him an odd green ring. "Put this on. It'll keep at least the slimes from attacking you."

"You won't need it?" he asked, putting it on his pinky finger. Her hands were much smaller than his. He was grateful to have some form of protection, but he felt guilty taking it from her.

"No, I mostly use it when I go into my slime hutch and there are a bunch of them in a small space. I can absolutely handle a few stray ones in my yard." He nodded, feeling overwhelmed. Slime hutch? She farmed monsters? He watched as she dug through the chest, considering and discarding different weapons. He listened as she lectured him on what to expect.

"Now listen up. The main creatures to be wary of are the bats and serpents, because they move really fast. The shadow brutes are the scariest, but they're slow and you can get away from them easily. I don't really like to kill them if I can avoid it. Same with the golems. Here, take this and tell me what you think."

She handed him a short, sturdy looking sword with an oddly shaped blade and a hilt guard. He wrapped his fingers around the hilt and hefted it, testing the weight in his hands. It was heavier than it looked, but not too heavy for him to wield.

"Take a few swings with it. Make sure it feels good." He stepped back and swung the blade, getting used to the weight and balance. "It's a cutlass. Hopefully you won't have to use it, but if anything gets too close, don't hesitate." He nodded, holding the cutlass by his side. It felt odd to be holding a weapon. He was used to tools of healing, not harm.

"What type of sword is yours?" he asked, pointing. It was unlike anything he had ever seen.

"Oh, this is the galaxy sword. It's the only one like it," she said, holding it up for him to look at. "It's made of iridium, I think. I got it in the desert."

"You just found it out there?"

"Um, sort of? I'll tell you the story another time, it's kind of strange. We should be heading out anyway. Are you sure you still want to come? I won't judge you if you back out."

Harvey shook his head, adamant.

"Alright. Stay close to me, and keep a look out. I'll watch ahead and you watch behind, let me know immediately if you see something, okay?"

"Okay. I'm ready."

Arianne nodded, and they went out the door and into the night.

Before Harvey even had a chance to look around, a massive green creature flew through the air straight at them. Arianne stood directly in front of him and smashed into it with her sword. It was knocked back, but flew at her again only to be cut down. It fell dead at her feet. He stared at the corpse in shock, looking at the teeth. He'd seen their bites on Arianne's skin. This time she had taken it down with ease, but that must have come after much experience.

"Serpent," she said. "See how fast they are?" She didn't wait for a response, but walked straight into the field of corn in front of them, whistling for her dog. He followed closely. They walked on through other crops as she called out for Grover, not bothering to be quiet. He was looking over his shoulder when out of the corner of his eye, he saw a dark mass emerge from the ground. It stood a full head taller than him, and was cloaked in shadow. He could hardly make out its form, but it was vaguely human-shaped.

"Arianne, there's a thing behind us," he said, trying not to sound panicked. She whipped around, staring into the darkness.

"That's a shadow brute," she said. "We can just stay out of his range. Keep an eye on him and I'll take care of him if he gets too close, but I don't want to waste time fighting him if I can avoid it." They walked on at a quicker pace. The shadow brute followed, but as Arianne said, couldn't catch up to them. Harvey felt panic rising in his chest. Just knowing that the creature was behind them filled him with dread.

Suddenly something hit Harvey in the shoulder. He shot straight into the air and screamed, slashing at it with his cutlass. He felt the blade connect with something small that bounced off like a baseball, but then flew right back at him again. This time he was a little more ready and swung at it as it came at him, but he missed. Arianne pushed him behind her and smacked it with the flat of her blade, killing it instantly. At that moment, a small shape sped across the ground straight for him. He readied his sword again, but stayed it when he realized it was Grover. Arianne dropped to her knees to pet him and clip on his leash.

"Here, hold his leash and I'll fight anything else that comes along. Keep him close. We'll go around and give that shadow brute a wide berth." He nodded and wrapped the leash around his hand a few times so that Grover had to walk right next to him. The dog sniffed at the dead bat, looking as if he wanted to pick it up and carry it back with him, but they hurried back toward the house. Every time Harvey looked over his shoulder there were more shadow brutes following them, but they kept up a pace that left them a safe distance away. Arianne killed a few more bats and a purple slime along the way, and soon they were back to the farmhouse, safely inside.

"Is it always like that out there?" he asked, still shaking slightly. He was having second thoughts about his mental picture of serene farm life. The shadow brutes clustered outside the door, staring in through the windows. He shuddered, staring at them through the glass. It seemed awfully weak protection against the shadowy creatures.

"Yeah, ever since I moved here. It's been one of the bigger challenges. I've had to do a lot of adapting. When I first got here, all I had was a rusty old sword that Marlon gave me. I could barely protect myself, which is why I ended up at your office so much." They put away their weapons, unclipped Grover's leash, and he gave back the odd green ring. He couldn't take his eyes off the windows. The shadow brutes were beginning to disperse, but a few still loomed.

"Do you want me to take you back to town before I put everything up? I can if you'd like," she offered. He stared at her, incredulous.

"And fight your way out through those guys?" he asked, pointing at the creatures outside the window. "No thanks. I'd much rather stay here, safe and sound indoors. Wait, they can't get in, right?" The thought that they could just punch through the window had suddenly occurred to him. Arianne was already shaking her head.

"No, they can't get in. And I could take them, easy. Might get a few scrapes, but it's nothing I can't handle." He glanced back out the window, but regardless of the monsters, he didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay here in Arianne's arms all night.

"No, I'd rather stay if you don't mind." He couldn't stomach the thought of going back out there. She smiled, relieved.

"Great! Would you like to join me for a bath?"

They soaked together in her massive spa tub, rinsing off the dirt and sweat from their late night chase. Harvey sank into the water, letting the heat ease the tension from his bones. Steam filled the room and fogged the mirror.

"When I first moved here, I was terrified to go out on the farm at night," she said, breaking the silence. "I used to make sure to get everything done before dark so that I just wouldn't have to deal with the monsters. One night, I was out foraging in the woods to the south and got lost, and it was dark by the time I made my way back. I tried to get through the farm, but I didn't even have a weapon with me. I made it to the pond and had to turn back. I made it back out into the woods, but I was pretty beat up. Leah invited me in and let me stay the night at her place." Harvey tried to keep his face neutral as things fell into place mentally. So Leah had been the short-lived fling.

"It's awkward telling you about this, but I figured you should know since she's one of your patients. I don't want to keep anything from you," she said. She nervously met his eyes and looked away quickly.

Arianne sank deeper into the water, submerging her mouth and blowing out bubbles, then leaning back so that only her face was above the water line. "Well, one thing led to another, and you know how it goes. I got stuck out there a few more times and things progressed. She told me she wanted something real. I cared about her." Harvey nodded sympathetically. He felt awkward listening to her talk about her past sex life, but she was mercifully sparing with the details. "Well, come to find out, she was completely hung up on her ex the whole time, and was fucking her on and off while we were together. Never said a thing to me about it. I found out by walking in on her on the phone. I never would have known." Her eyes were closed.

"That was also the reason why I had that STD panel done. About a month or so after it ended, I suddenly realized that since she had been cheating on me, I should probably get tested. It was so embarrassing. I thought for sure you'd never be interested in me after that." He shifted in the water, unsure of what to say.

"I'm... sorry that happened. It's terrible. No one should have to go through that," he said, moving closer to her in the oversized tub. He put an arm around her tentatively. She sat up, water dripping from her short hair, and let him hold her. "And you should know that it didn't at all lower my opinion of you. Honestly, it alerted me to the fact that you're a person that takes their health seriously. I think that's very respectable." She smiled.

"Thank you! And it's okay. I'm fine now, but it was a huge setback for me, you know? Just moved into this new town, a big scary farm to take care of and just when I think I've found someone that I can rely on, they pull something like that. It really shook me up." He nodded.

"I can understand. I've been cheated on before too. It really throws off your sense of reality when someone you trust betrays you," he said. He moved in front of her in the water, making direct eye contact. Without his glasses, the outline of her face was a little fuzzy, but at this distance he could still see her just fine. "I want you to know that I would never do something like that to you." Arianne smiled, then leaned in and kissed him, pulling him onto her lap.

"I would fuck you again, but honestly I'm just too exhausted," she said, smiling apologetically.

"No, no! That is fine with me. I've had more than my fair share of excitement for the day." The warm water had leached heat into his bones, and he was overwhelmed with fatigue. The fear had taken almost all of his remaining energy. They dragged themselves out of the tub, dried off, and fell into bed.

He rolled onto his back and pulled her close, their legs interlocking. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness completely, and he could see the curve of her face in the moonlight filtering in through the window, her dark hair still damp. "You know, I've lived here for a few years now, but I feel like I didn't really start putting down roots until you came along," he said. He felt jittery exposing his feelings to her, but he knew that if he waited too long he would lose his nerve. She leaned in, resting her face on his chest. Her eyes were closed and he could feel her eyelashes on his skin. Her wet hair was cold against his shoulder, but he didn't mind.

"I care about you. You've done something to me." He was struggling for words. She smirked at him, reaching up to trace his mustache with her fingers. She was certainly doing something to him now. Her fingers brushed against his lips, and he opened his mouth without thinking, letting her fingers slip between them. As exhausted as he was, his body responded to the intimacy. He couldn't keep his mind clear around her.

"You know," she said, his mouth still occupied, "I love your mustache." She retracted her hand and licked her fingers. He took a shaky breath and sat up on his elbows, rolling over to face her.

"I can't keep my mind off of you."

"We'll have to do this again sometime soon," she said, mumbling. Arianne's eyes were closed, and he was having a hard time fighting off sleep as well. He wrapped his arms around her and let his breathing slow down in time with hers, drifting off to sleep.


End file.
